EPA: U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions Down 2.9% in 2008

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released on April 15 the U.S. greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory report for 2008, which shows a 2.9% drop in GHG emissions from the previous year. The agency attributes the drop to a decrease in carbon dioxide emissions due to lower consumption of fossil fuels and electricity. The 2008 GHG emissions for the United States were the equivalent of 6,957 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, which is 13.5% higher than 1990 emissions levels. Carbon dioxide dominates U.S. GHG emissions, contributing 85.1% of the total, with methane in second place at 8.2%, nitrous oxide at 4.6%, and other GHGs contributing the final 2.2%. See the EPA press release and the full report.

The EPA also released a report on April 27 on the environmental indicators of climate change. The report looks at 24 key indicators of climate change, including GHG emissions and concentrations in the atmosphere; weather and climate events; and observed impacts on the oceans, global snow and ice cover, and on societies and ecosystems. The EPA has also released four new fact sheets on climate change. See the EPA press release, the climate change indicators report, and the new fact sheets, which are part of the EPA's "Climate Toolbox."